PlayMG Gaming System Review

Are you tired of sharing your iPhone or iPod? Or are you like me, when I get ready for work and grab my purse and make sure my iPhone is there only to find one of the kids has decided to play a few games and didn’t put it back? My daughter probably uses my phone more then I do. I had to start creating folders for all her games because one of the most used phrases in my house is “Mommy can I download a free game?” PlayMG is giving you back your phone with their brand new Android gaming system.

We had the opportunity to review a unit for you so you can be informed before you make your decision to purchase. Here are some of the features that sets the PlayMG apart from other gaming systems in our opinion.

It is light weight and thin

As a parent you can set up notifications that let you know what your child is doing

You can set spending allowance for children

Preloaded with premium games

My husband has an Android product and I have used a few tablets so I was already familiar with the layout and look before I opened the PlayMG. It always helps to be familiar with a product a head of time. This gaming system is packed with everything a child could use, sans the phone. Due to the nature of it being Android you can purchase apps, music, books, magazines, and movies through Play Store. I believe when I set this up I had to connect to my google account to be able to do this, though I can’t say that with 100% positivity.

Music

There are a several ways you can add and listen to music on the PlayMG

Shop among millions of songs in the Play Store

Choose songs from the 20,000 to Google Play for free

Copy music from your computer to the PlayMG using a USB Cable

Camera

I wish I could say that it is great there is a camera, especially for young children that you don’t want to purchase an additional item that could get broken. However like other Android products I’ve reviewed the camera is forward facing only. It may just be me but I don’t understand the need so much for a forward facing.

Internet

As long as you have connected a Wi-Fi Network you can browse the internet. We found the browsing experience to be quick and easy to navigate. Definitely up to par with today’s technology.

Additional Resources

The PlayMG is equipped with a calculator, calendar, email, clock (where you can set alarms), you tube, and many other popular applications

Books

Perfect for young readers the PlayMG includes an e-reader. You can purchase books in the Play Store.

Play Store

The Play Store has everything you need to turn your PlayMG into your personalized gaming, music, email, movies, and more system. Many of the applications are free including the more popular ones like Facebook, Instagram, Temple Run, and more. You can search for a specific application or get recommendations. Browse amount the top paid or top free if you want to see what everyone else is downloading.

MG Digital Wallet

This feature is done through a third party Spendsmart.playmg.com. Currently if you add $10 to the Spendsmart card PlayMG will match it to give you $20 to spend. This is a prepaid card so your children can not overspend. We decided NOT to go with this feature so I can not comment on how well it works or doesn’t work.

Family Collaboration System

I am a fan of this system. Unless something my children do is harmful I prefer trying to teach them what they can and can not do before automatically taking something away (which is how most parent controls work). I like to use “taking something away” as a last resort. This is the thought behind the Family Collaboration System. You can receive weekly emails on which apps your child uses, downloads, and their time spent on the MG. This can help you set boundaries and see if your child follows them before you just take away their ability to do something. I think this is a good way of teaching your child responsibility and trust.

Helpful Tips and Tricks

We call it “The Pinch.” Press and hold the volume down button (on the top of the device) and the brightness button (on the bottom of the device) for a long 10 seconds. This will restart the system. The start up will take a bit longer than normal because it has to go through the entire shutdown and restart process.

2. How to add life to the battery

You may have a lot of games/apps running in the background, you will want to shut down the games/apps to save the life of your battery. To shut down/turn off the games simply press and hold the home button and a screen will pop up showing the active apps. To turn them off, touch the app(s) and slide it to the left.

3. How to Switch Games

To switch games hit the back arrow button to shut down the current game before selecting a new one. When you hit the home button and open a new game, the first game will still be available in the background and your MG will be running multiple apps which could result in it overheating or freezing.

4. HAVE FUN!

A couple of things to keep in mind as you run the MG going forward, these are a few things that are a little unique to this version of Android. When using an app/game, you have to hit the back button to shut down the app/game. Often users will go from an app/game to another by hitting the home button. This puts the first app/game in a background mode and leaves it still running. When multiple apps continue to run, the MG might get warmer than normal and it can cause the MG to freeze . . . just like with smartphones or computers.

Note: Unless you purchase the second bundle below your PlayMG will NOT come with a charger. At first this was very frustrating because I had to search to see if I had a charger. However the reasoning behind PlayMG’s decision to not include a charger make sense:

PlayMG ® is a planet conscious company! We know there are drawers full of old micro USB chargers out there everywhere. Most people don’t need another one! So, why put one in the box? In the event you would like a PlayMG ® charger, please check out our accessories page! If you are in a hurry you can get a standard micro USB charger from Radio Shack, Walmart, or even your local drug store. The MG uses a standard micro USB charger.

Currently at the time of this posting there are a few options when purchasing the PlayMG

About Colleen Shibley

Colleen Shibley Mother to 3 kids, wife to an awesome & thoughtful husband, beach lover, book reader, working woman by day, and blogger by night. Blogging from sunny South Florida passionate about travel, good food, entertainment, and enjoying family time...[Read More...]